Black Leather Couch
by pocketfullofluck
Summary: There she sat on that black leather couch in his arms finally realizing the obvious. She was like Cinderella and he was her like Prince Charming. It didn’t matter what her evil stepmother and stepsister said; she had her fairy tale ending. Oneshot! TxG


* * *

Tomorrow was her twenty first birthday. It was one of the most memorable birthdays that were in a person's life. Of course there were other important ones such as, the 16th and 18th. But she wanted her twenty first to be special.

Yet, it wasn't special. She was alone in an empty house for a week. Her step-mother didn't care, nor would she ever. Gabriella didn't even know why she came home from college anymore. Right when she came home, her step-mother and step-sister would leave.

This weekend she prayed that they wouldn't leave. It was her birthday, for goodness sakes, maybe they'd stay. She knew that they both didn't like her, but they were her only family left.

So she sat alone on the black leather couch in the den.

* * *

Her father had died on her fifteenth birthday, about one year after he had married Caroline. Gabriella was excited, she had never known her mother (because she died during childbirth) and now she would get a sister and a mother.

Caroline and April were nicer while her father was alive. April was the same age as her and the girls were like fire and ice. Gabriella was kind and shy and famous for her long innocent brown locks. April was mean and stuck-up with fake blonde roots.

Caroline really had nothing real on her face. She was plastic in and out. However, Gabriella dealt with the two for her father. Then, when her father died, Gabriella became the outcast of the family.

Caroline had taken Gabriella's key to the house, and left her on the front porch during storms and hot New Mexico days. Caroline refused to buy Gabriella new clothes and feed her. So, Gabriella (being responsible) got a job and paid for her own things.

Then, she met a new clan of friends. And that pissed April off. Gabriella's kind attitude had gotten the attention of the popular crowd. The crowd April would die to be friends with. Gabriella had worked at Sharpay Evan's family's country club and the girls got closer and became best friends.

So, as their junior year started, Sharpay introduced her to Troy Bolton and Chad Danforth. Instantly, the group loved her. When her step-mother and step-sister kicked her out, they'd help her. Sharpay gave her extra and always offered sleepovers and lent her designer clothes.

That pissed April and Caroline off. How could this girl, this stupid girl, get everything April had always wanted? April tried hard to impress the popular kids and spread rumors about Gabriella, but nothing ever worked.

Then the shit hit the fan in Gabriella's life. Troy Bolton had fallen for her, hard. He was in love with her, and everyone knew it. Except for Gabriella. Gabriella was clueless herself. He was all she could think about. She, too, loved him.

Then, within the first week of senior year, they began dating. It wasn't a fling to them, it was total love. She didn't just like him for his body. She liked him because he wasn't afraid to admit that he knew all the words to every Backstreet Boys song that came out in the 90's. (He wasn't into their new stuff.) She liked him because he would have dumped her if she didn't like his family. (She did, however. They were like REAL parents to her.)

He loved her too. He loved her because she didn't worship him. He loved her because, although she HATED basketball, she'd still show up to all of his games. He loved her because she dealt with all of April and Caroline's shit without complaining, because 'other people had gone through worse.'

Sharpay and Chad approved of the two dating. Actually Chad insisted that Gabriella was really Cinderella in disguise. He was for sure that one day she'd rip off her 'Gabriella costume' and there would sit the cartoon Cinderella.

He also thought that Sharpay was a dog. (Even though they had been dating since sixth grade.)

April and Caroline, however, did not approve. They had demanded that Gabriella breakup with Troy because April was his true love. She just shrugged it off and still dated the boy. She loved him and nothing was going to stop her.

**Then** there was _that rumor. _It was a stupid rumor that April had started. She had told everyone she knew that Gabriella didn't really like the popular kids, she just did it as a publicity stunt…but it was a lie.

Gabriella's friends were all that she had. Sure they helped her out sometimes (she'd deny their gifts at first and they'd trick her into getting their perks) but she didn't care. They liked her for her. Yet, they believed the rumor over her.

She got fired from her country club job. Troy dumped her. Chad…well…Chad just ignored her. She dealt with their crap and Caroline and April's crap 24/7. Now that Gabriella was a loner, Caroline and April were meaner. They'd make her do the chores. She'd fix them meals and do April's homework.

She was miserable. She felt like she had nothing to live for. She was depending on a scholarship to get into college, because there was no other way she could even afford it. She had dipped into her saved college fund to buy herself food and necessities. Sometimes she just lay on her roof and wanted to just close her eyes and roll off.

She stayed positive. There were people that had it worse than her. She wasn't going to be a pessimistic coward. She held her head high when all the insults came her way. She closed her eyes and hid the tears.

She got sick on her birthday. She knew she had the stomach flu due to the fact that she was practically puking her insides out. However, she couldn't stay home with her unemployed stepmother, who told her to get over it. So, she came to school. Between classes she'd sneak into the bathroom and puke.

Then, in her gym class, she felt woozy. The pain in her side became a burning sensation. She breathed in and out to hide the fact that she wasn't feeling well. Sharpay watched as her ex-friend hid her illness and didn't say anything…still angry at the girl. Deep down, Sharpay was worried sick. She knew that Gabriella was feeling awful and forced into coming to school under the weather.

Then her heart fell into her stomach when she saw Gabriella faint. At first she thought that Gabriella was dehydrated from the extreme amount of vomiting but she knew deep down that it was more than that.

She was the first to Gabriella's side. She shook her gently and tried to wake her up. What was wrong? Guilt flushed into her body, what if Gabriella died? The last memory of their friendship would be Sharpay being a royal bitch.

When her brown eyes opened gently and slowly, Sharpay let out a deep breath. Gabriella wasn't dead; she was just sick…really sick.

"Ouch." She said before falling back asleep. Then, she was swarmed by her gym class. They didn't know who was sick in Sharpay's arms but they knew it was serious. They saw the blonde with worried tears rolling down her face.

"Wake up. Please wake up." She repeated over and over again. What had she done? She could hear Gabriella's breaths slow but were at a steady pace. She couldn't hear people gossiping about the girl but she heard her teacher say,

"Someone call 911." Sharpay sobbed. It was serious. Her ex-friend might die. The girl that was so kind to everyone, the girl that was ruined by a small rumor, might die. "Please, someone call fucking 911." Sharpay noted that the voice was Mr. Bolton. He was as worried as Sharpay. He leaned down to the girl and laid a hand on her forehead.

"She's burning up! Why the hell is she at school?" He knew the underlying reason. He knew all about Gabriella's family situation. He knew he should have said something to someone but…she begged him not to. _I'm fine_, she had told him, _and it's not like they are hitting me. _

"Get out of my way…that's my sister." They heard April's voice say, shoving through the crowd. She didn't care the health of her sister, she just wanted the inside scoop. She wanted to know exactly what was going on.

"Get lost. There is no show here. Go to your classes." Mr. Bolton shouted to them, standing up and blocking the sick girl. April put a hand on her hips,

"That's my sister." He stared her down.

"Good, I'm your teacher and I'm telling you to get to class." April turned around, afraid to speak up to her crush's dad. She headed off toward her cheerleader friends and started lying about how Gabriella was faking for more attention…which she knew wasn't true.

"What's wrong with her?" Sharpay demanded. She was scared. There innocent Gabriella was lying in her arms. Gabriella never got sick and when she did it wouldn't be this bad. She never saw her ex-best friend so vulnerable.

"I don't know. Has she been sick?" Sharpay shook her head,

"She looked pale this morning in homeroom and I heard her puking second hour. Clearly she's sick but…why'd she faint?" Mr. Bolton thought for a moment,

"Holy shit…someone needs to hurry. I think she had appendicitis." Sharpay sobbed. Gabriella could die from that. Why didn't she speak up? She wasn't stupid; she knew something was wrong. Yet, she kept her problems to herself.

Within minutes of his conclusion then silence, they saw people running in with a stretcher. They were from the hospital and it scared Sharpay. No one would be there when Gabriella woke up. She had no family that loved her. The school hated her for some rumor that didn't matter anymore.

"Who is coming?" The guy asked her as Gabriella was headed out the door, unconscious and lying on the piece of hard plastic.

"Me." Sharpay spoke up quickly. She knew that she shouldn't go. Gabriella probably hated her for being an awful friend…but at least she would be _somebody. _

Gabriella had to emergently get her appendix removed as she got to the hospital. As she expected, no one showed up to visit her. She knew that Caroline and April didn't like her but this was a new low. Gabriella almost _died. _

About four hours after her surgery, Gabriella finally woke up. She had no idea where she was and scared out of her mind. She saw white walls and white blankets. She smelt like dead people.

"You fainted during gym class. They called the ambulance and you just got out of surgery to get your appendix removed." She heard a female voice say from the corner. She glanced over, finally understanding the situation.

"Oh…let me guess…you are here to pity me because no one else is and I almost died." Gabriella muttered looking down. Sharpay sighed,

"Gabriella…I was so scared when you were lying on the floor. I thought you were _dead. _I felt so guilty that I abandoned my best friend…so this time I decided that I wasn't going to." Gabriella frowned,

"I wasn't using you guys, I promise. I'd never do that." She wanted to cry but she was so weak and feeble that it hurt too badly. She noticed that she had two IVs in her arm and groaned.

"Yeah, I know. I don't know why I believed the rumor over you. I fired you for no reason and watched people treat you like crap for no reason without saying anything. I don't even deserve to be your friend anymore." Gabriella gave her a small smile,

"You were the only person that cared that I was here. Only a real friend would do that. Plus, you could have done worse. I mean you could have left me all alone here." She laughed,

"Whatever. By the way, the people that transported you here were h-o-t! I wish you would have been awake." Gabriella just laughed at how their friendship was fixed instantly. Sure, she should have been madder at Sharpay but…she couldn't. Sharpay had done so much for her throughout the years that it was almost payback.

"Yeah, I'm sure. So, how long until I get out of here?" Sharpay shrugged, not knowing anything. Mr. Bolton had been the one to talk to the doctors through everything. He had been the one to deal with Caroline and he had been the one to make sure that Gabriella had the best doctors.

"I don't know. You've been asleep for like four hours. I think you get out tomorrow morning or something." Gabriella's face fell. She would have to miss another day of school and come home to Caroline's anger at the new hospital bill.

"Oh…can I have my job back? I now have to pay for food and a hospital bill. God, I wish my dad would have given me some money. All Caroline and April do is spend it on stupid material things. I mean…" She noticed how she was complaining about it. She never complained about anything. "…but I mean I could have died…so it's all good." Sharpay shrugged,

"Sure…the new girl isn't even a good waitress. She messed up my order three times in one meal! I mean, come on." Gabriella closed her eyes. Sharpay was her friend again and that would probably make Chad like her again. (Chad was extremely whipped by his girlfriend.) What about Troy? The boy that made her heart beat faster. The boy, that was supposed to love her forever, wasn't here.

"Yeah but your orders are very specific. It takes up like three pads of paper to get it correct." She said with a giggle. She let a few tears seep through her eyes. Sharpay tilted her head to the side.

"He came here, you know?" Gabriella looked up in disbelief. He had hated her the most. There were side rumors that she slept with numerous guys from West High and didn't love him. But, again, the rumors were all lies.

"What?" Sharpay shook her head,

"He was here." She frowned. She was confused. A few days before she got sick he had mumbled for her to just leave, but now he was visiting her in the hospital? Why? Why would he do it? Was he trying to deal with his guilt? "He came to the hospital." Gabriella sighed,

"I heard you the first two times." She sighed and noticed the single daisy on the table by her bed. It was lying there with a blue ribbon. No one knew she liked daisies but Troy. No one knew that she used to wear a blue ribbon around her hair for good luck, but Troy.

"He dropped off that flower and then took off. Chad is in the lobby sleeping and Mr. Bolton was on his cell phone, saying a few choice words to your evil step-mother."

"Why? Why does it take a near death experience to make you guys realize that I am a real person with real emotions?" Sharpay sighed. She knew once Gabriella started to feel a bit stronger that she would get angry.

"We…I mean…I don't know. It was stupid." Gabriella sighed, too tired to push it. She glanced over at her friend.

"I felt like shit today. I mean I was puking and my side hurt. I just felt awful." She mumbled, playing with the petals on the daisy in front of her. She was pulling each petal off slowly, repeating in her head 'he loves me, he loves me not.' When the last white petal ended on 'he loves me,' she laid it down. It was a stupid game anyway.

"Yeah…normally that's how you feel when you have appendicitis." Gabriella sighed and brushed the petals off of her bed. Then the girls became aware of the third person enter the room. "Well…I think I am going to go check on the boyfriend."

"Hey." He said mumbling and sitting in the now vacant chair across from her bed. He was so confused. When he had heard that she had fainted in gym class…he didn't believe it. Sure he had watched her go into the bathroom constantly to puke…but she didn't faint.

Then his father picked him up from class. He had explained the situation and Troy freaked out. All his father knew was that she was rushed into surgery and that it was very serious. He had sat in his truck for a good thirty minutes before heading toward the hospital.

When he saw her there in the bed…his heart broke. He'd never seen her like that. Sure, he had watched her sleep but there she was connected to machines to help her breathe and there were IVs in her arms. It scared the shit out of him.

"Hey." He sighed, not knowing what to say to her. He'd never been speechless in front of her, they were always talking.

"So…" He felt stupid. What could he say to her? What would make things ok? He just wanted her closer to him. "…when you get out of here tomorrow dad said that you are staying at our house." Gabriella looked over at him,

"Ok." He took a few steps closer to her and lay down on her hospital bed, wrapping warm arms around her. She felt safe. She ignored the fact that he had been cruel to her for such a long time.

"I love you." He whispered into her hair. He'd never said it before. They had been dating two months. They felt like it was so much longer. Gabriella smiled inwardly. She'd been waiting to hear those three little words for so long. She whispered and repeated the words he had told her.

"I love you too." He sighed and pulled her closer, careful of her aching body. She was so fragile and cute. He suddenly remembered the date,

"Oh, and happy birthday." Gabriella remembered that it was her birthday. Her eighteenth birthday was just like her sixteenth. It had been awful and depressing. "I…am…" She turned and kissed him, unaware of the doctor's new arrival in the hospital room. He smirked for a minute after hearing their small romance scene then cleared his throat,

"Well, Ms. Montez, looks like you are feeling much better. Now, I will have to check you out…so I'm going to need a clear hospital bed." Troy took the hint and stood up quickly, careful not to hit any wires. He mouthed 'I love you' and left the room quietly.

Maybe her eighteenth birthday wasn't so bad after all.

Plus, as soon as she was fully healed from her surgery and infirmity, she and her boyfriend had lost their virginity on the black leather couch in the den of her house while her step-family blew her father's money at some beach.

Then it was time for college. Gabriella had the chance to stay home and go to a local college. She could go to USC with her friends or she could go to Duke alone.

She chose to be with her friends and boyfriend. April, however, did not get into any college and worked at a local office (she got her jobs not from her skills in the office but for the skills in the bedroom.)

Her nineteenth birthday was pretty sweet as well. Gabriella had come home one day to find that April had been fired. Gabriella had decided to major in psychology to help all the other Cinderellas in the world and April was now out of work and uneducated. Plus, Caroline was almost broke, she was selling Gabriella's things on eBay but Gabriella just grinned and bared it.

She got her sweet revenge when April walked in on her and Troy in the act. April had finally realized that Troy was Gabriella's…on Gabriella's birthday. It was a great gift.

Her twentieth was a different kind of cool. Troy had verbally committed to play pro-ball and they had celebrated her birthday at a nice restaurant with Sharpay and Chad. Gabriella had gotten a few presents from them and the Boltons and Evans had sent her a few small gifts as well; they didn't even go back down to Albuquerque.

Now, there was her twenty first. She had decided to finally check on Caroline and April, wondering what exactly they had gotten themselves into. She was excited to see them, even though they hated her.

It was the day before and Caroline and April had left a note saying that they weren't coming back for her birthday. Gabriella walked into her room and noticed that everything was gone. They had sold all of her things to get money. She had a few priceless things left. She had her mother's things and some of her father's things and her leftover baby things. She had her scrapbooks and priceless jewelry. There was a blow up mattress on the wood floor with a small blanket.

How kind of them.

She walked downstairs and lay on the leather black couch. It was the same one that they had in high school and it was the same couch that she lost her virginity on. (The couple couldn't even make it up the stairs!) It was the couch that she had cried on during that horrible rumor. It was the couch that she watched her stepmother and stepsister bond while she was stuck in the corner.

Now, it was the couch that she laid on ten minutes before her twenty-first birthday. Finally, April and Caroline had made her cry. They had finally broken her. The note that they had left her was…mean. It was hateful and meant to break her heart. And it did.

She hadn't cried for years, yet there she sat, alone crying on the couch. She heard the front door open and shrugged, she really didn't care who it was. Her friends were going to throw her a party tomorrow so they weren't the ones that were here.

She felt arms around her and a boy on the couch next to her. He was kissing her and pulling her closer. He didn't even realize she was crying until he felt her cold wet tears on his cheeks. He looked at her, with a confused look on his face. She whispered,

"What are you doing here?" He wiped a few tears off her cheeks and smiled,

"Being the first person to wish you happy birthday, why are you crying?" She handed him the yellow piece of tear stained paper. He read it slowly, glancing up at her every few words. **Get lost, no one wants you here. **It said.

"I want you here." He said pulling her closer. She felt so safe in his arms. He kissed her gently and pulled her as close as she could get. "I want you here forever." She just sighed and wiped her eyes. He slid something into her hand. It was a small box shaped glass slipper.

"I think it might be a bit too big." She teased, holding up the small slipper. He whispered. He and Chad had found it one day in a jewelry store. It was a small ring box and he knew he had to get it for his girlfriend.

Actually, Chad forced him to buy it. The two were actually in there for a greater agenda but they saw it and had to buy it. It wasn't cheap but they didn't care. Troy would be playing for the Lakers in a few months and making bank.

"Look inside." He whispered as she slowly lifted up the silver lid. She reached in, thinking that it was going to be a necklace or trinket, she just watched him with a small smile. Then, her fingers touched it.

"What's this?" She pulled it out slowly, knowing exactly what it was. He didn't get down on one knee. She just lay in his arms on that black leather couch when he whispered in her ear, as if it was a great secret,

"Marry me, Cinderella."

There she sat on that black leather couch in his arms finally realizing the obvious. She was like Cinderella and he was like her Prince Charming. It didn't matter what her evil stepmother and stepsister said; she had her fairy tale ending.

"Yes, Prince Charming, I will marry you."

**So, what did you think? Review and be honest!**


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